Nick Coats has chosen a hard way to start a conversation.
The Dubai-based British endurance athlete, former British Army officer and performance coach will run 1,700 kilometres across Albania, Greece and Turkey this September as part of UNBOUND | Break The Silence.
The expedition is aimed at raising awareness for men’s mental health, suicide prevention and veteran wellbeing.
Coats, founder and head coach of Embolden High-Performance Coaching, will begin on September 5 at the Ultra 4 Veterans Albania Mountain Race. He is due to complete 100km over two days before starting a self-supported 1,500km crossing through three countries.
He will carry his own kit, with no support crew or chase vehicle. The route is expected to take between 34 and 37 days.
The final leg is the Cappadocia Ultra Trail in Turkey, a 119km race with more than 3,700 metres of ascent and a 24-hour cut-off. The event starts in Urgup on October 17, with the wider race weekend running from October 16 to 18.
The route Nick Coats will take
If Coats completes the full expedition, he could arrive at the start line having already run more than 1,600km.
That claim is part of the challenge, but Coats says the message matters more than the distance.
“This is the biggest challenge of my life, and quite frankly, it scares me,” Coats said. “The borders crossed are geographical. The silence addressed is cultural.”
“If this journey encourages even one person to ask for help, check in on a friend or start a conversation they might otherwise have avoided, then every step will have been worth it.”
Coats served for seven years in the British Army before moving into oil broking and later coaching.
Nick Coats Dubai-based British endurance athlete
His endurance background includes finishing fourth overall at the Beyond The Ultimate Jungle Ultra, a 230km self-supported race through the Amazon rainforest. He also coached an athlete to a world-record finish during the 630km 7 Emirates Run in 2025.
Before leaving for UNBOUND, Coats will take part in Menathon’s Dusk Till Dawn on August 15 and 16 in Dubai.
The 12-hour overnight relay brings teams together through movement and fundraising. This year’s event will raise money for child bereavement support in memory of Henry Hallam, son of Menathon co-founder Dayle Hallam.
Supporters can follow Coats’ expedition on Instagram at @nickcoats.performance.
